Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood defended his tactics during the first Test against Bangladesh after suffering a humiliating 10-wicket loss. In a cricketing shocker, Pakistan lost their first-ever Test match to Bangladesh, a defeat that left fans and players alike searching for answers.
The loss, however, didn’t come without its fair share of controversy, especially surrounding Pakistan’s decision to field four fast bowlers on a pitch that many believed would favour spin.
A Risky All-Pace Strategy
Shan Masood, stood firm in his post-match press conference, justifying the decision to go all-out with pace. The team opted for an attack comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, and Mohammad Ali, all in the hope that the pitch would offer more assistance than it ultimately did.
Unfortunately, the strategy didn’t pay off as Bangladesh piled up a daunting 565 runs in their first innings. But it wasn’t just Bangladesh’s batting that exposed Pakistan’s tactical misstep.
The final day saw Bangladesh’s spinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan, wreak havoc on the Pakistani batting lineup, claiming seven wickets and bowling the visitors out for a paltry 146.
This stark contrast in bowling effectiveness only fueled criticism of Pakistan’s selection choices. Shan Masood, however, didn’t shy away from defending the team’s approach.
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“Looking at the pitch, we expected it to do more,” Masood explained. He noted that had they played only three fast bowlers, it would have put too much strain on them, forcing their lone spinner to take on a heavy workload—something the team wanted to avoid.
Masood also shed light on the absence of a frontline spinner, pointing out that the team had to make adjustments after losing Aamir Jamal, who contributed with both bat and ball. This, according to the captain, led to the decision to go with an all-seam attack.
Missed Opportunities
The captain was also questioned about the decision to declare Pakistan’s first innings at 448/6, which left Mohammad Rizwan just shy of a well-deserved double-century.
Masood explained that the declaration was a calculated move to push the game forward and put pressure on Bangladesh in the fourth innings. “We could have done with those runs,” Masood admitted, “but there were also things with the ball and in the field that we could’ve done better.”
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Despite the loss, Masood emphasized that not everything went wrong for Pakistan. He highlighted the team’s proactive approach throughout the match. “Even if you lose, it doesn’t mean you’ve done everything wrong,” he remarked, suggesting that the team would learn from this experience rather than panic.
With the second Test just around the corner, set to begin on August 30 at the same venue, Masood hinted at possible changes. He didn’t rule out the return of spinner Abrar Ahmed, depending on pitch conditions and the weather.
As the dust settles on this historic defeat, Pakistan will need to regroup and rethink their approach if they hope to bounce back in the series.
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